Still the One
by iwant2believe13
Summary: When Jim gets his memory back, it seems like everything is going well... Until Melinda learns that there are still prices she must pay. Will Jim and Mel survive? And can Jim stop Melinda from making the greatest sacrifice of all?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Well, I decided to write another fanfic. As you'll find out in the prologue, it takes place 4 months after the episode "Heart and Soul" I don't want to give too much away, so please read, and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I need to know what you all think. I'm posting the first three chapters all at once, but after that it might be a few days or so between updates. I'll warn you if it will be more than that.**

* * *

Prologue: It's been 4 months since Sam moved into Melinda's garage. Sam and Mel have grown close over the course of those months, and have even started dating, although Sam's confusion and amnesia and Mel's grief have created obstacles in their newfound relationship. Melinda hasn't stopped trying to help Sam get his memory back, however Sam is still hesitant and unsure if his past is really something he wants to remember. Until….

* * *

Sam bolted upright in bed, breathing heavily, drenched in cold sweat. Trying to catch his breath, he shook his head, as if the gesture could expel the nightmare from his thoughts. Once he had pulled himself together a bit, he decided he wasn't going to fall back asleep anytime soon. He got up, grabbed his black Yankees t-shirt from the footboard of his bed, and pulled it over his head. He then quietly made his way into the house, praying that he wouldn't wake Melinda.

Once he'd walked through the door connecting the garage to the house, he noticed that the light was on in the kitchen. He paused for a moment, debating whether or not he should just return to his room. Then he heard something; it was soft, nearly inaudible, but when he listened more closely he could distinctly hear the sound of someone quietly crying. He padded into the kitchen and stopped a few feet away from the table where Melinda sat, head in her hands, silently sobbing.

"Melinda?" He called worriedly.

Mel looked up quickly, startled, and then took a quick breath and tried to brush away the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. "Sam." She said, her voice broken. "What are you doing up? It's three in the morning."

"I could ask you the same thing." Sam replied, taking a seat directly across from Melinda.

Mel looked at him. His eyes were full of concern; he was making the same face Jim would make when he was worried about her. That only made the tears fall faster.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked.

Melinda only shook her head, not trusting herself to speak without breaking into hysterical tears.

Sam looked down at the table in front of her. A photo album of some sort was open. In it were pictures of her and her husband. On their wedding day, hiking in the woods, hugging in front of a cruise ship… He now understood why she was crying.

"You miss him." He stated softly.

Melinda tried to take a deep breath, but ended up hyperventilating. "I thought… that it would get easier over time. But it's not. Everything I see…. Everything I do reminds me of him. And I can't…. I can't…" She was unable to finish her sentence as she broke down once again, burying her head in her hands.

Sam moved his chair closer to her, until their knees were practically touching, and he took her into his arms. He held her even tighter as her whole body shook with her sobs. She was holding onto him for dear life, clutching his shoulders until her knuckles were practically white. If he felt any pain, though, he didn't care. His main concern was the woman in his arms, who he found himself deeply in love with although he only just met her. If she wasn't alright, neither was he. That was the connection he felt to her.

After a few minutes, Mel's crying slowed to a stop, and she quickly pulled away from Sam, wiping her face with her sleeves. She looked at him regretfully.

"I am so sorry…" She said. "I'm such a mess right now. You shouldn't have to deal with this. I…"

Sam interrupted her, taking her hands in his. "Hey. It's okay… Don't even worry about it." He said soothingly. "You're hurting. I see that. And you don't have to apologize for it. I just wish there was more that I could do."

A small smile crept across Melinda's tear-stained face. "You're here. That's more than I could ask for."

Sam released one of her hands to trace away a stray tear below her eye. "I know my business." He said goofily, smiling his crooked smile.

Mel let out a short laugh. That was something Jim used to say to lighten the mood when she was feeling down. How was it that she could miss someone _so much _when they were technically sitting right in front of her? She glanced at the memory book on the table, and sighed.

Sam looked down at the book as well. He pointed at the picture of Mel and Jim in front of the ship. "When was this taken?" He asked.

"In October. We went on the last cruise of the Clairdon for our anniversary." Melinda answered, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

"Hmm." Sam mumbled, as if he was thinking of something. "May I?" He asked, about to turn the page.

"Yeah. Go ahead." Mel replied, a bit too enthusiastically. She had been hoping for a while that Sam would look at the pictures, and that they might jog some memories.

He flipped through a few pages, pausing to carefully view each photo individually. His brow creased as if he was deep in thought. Then he caught Melinda watching him. He locked eyes with her, cocked his head a bit to one side, and asked:

"Do you ever get the overwhelming sense of deja-vu?"

"What do you mean?" Mel asked.

"Well, this is gonna sound crazy, but looking at these pictures… I feel like I've been all these places." Sam said. Then he waved his hand in the air, dismissing the thought. "Never mind. It's all in my head. It's gotta be." He went back to looking at the photos.

Melinda was about to speak, when Sam pointed at a picture and blurted out:

"Wait. There! I know that place!"

Melinda looked at the photo he was referring to. It was a picture of her and Jim at the lodge… The lodge where Jim was shot. It was taken when they had first arrived. Before Natalie had seen the ghost, before they all knew the truth about Hunter, before her world was torn apart…

"How do you know that place?" Melinda asked quietly, her voice shaking.

Sam closed his eyes and tried to remember. Then it hit him.

"The nightmare I just had… I was there. It felt so real…." He trailed off.

Melinda leaned forward a bit and put her hand on Sam's arm. "What happened?" she asked.

Sam stared off into oblivion as he retold his dream.

"I was inside the lodge. There was a man… He had a rifle. I was trying to wrestle it away from him. I finally got it. I was holding it in my hands, when I heard a gunshot. It wasn't the rifle, though. It came from outside. And then I just felt excruciating pain tearing through my shoulder… I fell. And when I opened my eyes, I saw….. You…." Sam trailed off. He looked at Melinda, wide-eyed. And then he was suddenly struck by a series of flashbacks, playing out in front of his eyes like a movie on fast-forward.

_His brother, Dan, dying in his arms. Meeting Melinda for the first time when her apartment complex was burning down. The Umbrella Room. Their wedding. His mother, Faith. The accident when a wheel blew out on the ambulance. Andrea and the plane crash. Professor Payne. Gabriel. The memorial service where he almost lost the love of his life. Tom Gordon. Camping in the woods. Trying to have a baby with Mel. The cruise. Hunter and Neely. His death, and refusing to cross over because he couldn't bear to leave Melinda. And the man who died in the accident. Sam. He saw his spirit cross over, and he saw his body. It was his only chance…. _

And then, as soon as the flashbacks started, they stopped. And everything dissolved into darkness


	2. Chapter 2

"Sam."

The voice sounded far away, yet so close…

"Sam, can you hear me? Oh God, please wake up."

He felt someone's hand softly caressing his face. He heard Melinda's voice calling out to him. He clawed his way out of the darkness and back into awareness.

His eyes fluttered open, and he was looking up into Melinda's tear-filled eyes. Acute concern was etched on her face, but seeing him awake, a bit of relief washed over her.

"Melinda." He whispered.

"Oh my God. Are you okay?" Mel asked frantically.

He sat up halfway and threw his arms around her, taking her down with him. She gasped as he held her close and caught her in a passionate but tender kiss. It lasted for several seconds before she slowly pulled away.

"Sam…" She whispered, breathlessly. She pushed herself back up, and he sat up with her, grabbing her hand.

"Mel." He said, his voice breaking slightly. "It's me, Jim. I remember."

Her eyes widened. "Y-You….?" She stuttered.

"I remember…" He repeated. "Everything. I died, and you seemed so lost. So devastated. I couldn't leave you. I wouldn't. So I saw Sam cross over, and I thought that if I could just take his place…. We could be together. I'm so sorry, Mel. I'm sorry…."

Melinda's eyes welled up with tears again, and she wrapped herself around him desperately. "Jim." She sobbed.

He held her and kissed the top of her head. "I love you." He whispered. "I love you so much."

Melinda pulled back a few inches, remaining in his embrace, and looked up at him. "I thought I'd lost you forever…." She cried. And then she buried her face in his chest again.

He stroked her hair and her back and absently rocked with her. "I'm here." He whispered. "Everything's alright now."

An hour later, the pair laid together on the couch. Mel's head resting on Jim's chest as she snuggled up against him. His arm wrapped around her snugly, afraid to ever let her go again.

"When Eli told me that memories of past lives are lost… Usually permanently… I lost hope." Melinda said softly. "I was so scared."

Jim stroked her arm, and sighed. "I'm sorry I put you through all of that. If I had known…"

"No." Melinda cut in. "You're here now. You're back. That's all that matters." She paused for a moment. "And I'm glad you did what you did. It may be selfish of me, but I don't think I could've survived without you."

"Selfish?" Jim said. "Mel, you are the most un-selfish person I know. You're also the strongest and bravest person I know. I think you would have been alright. It's _me _that couldn't have lived without _you_."

Melinda looked at him. "You could've gone into the light." She whispered sadly. "You would have been happy there."

Jim shook his head. "Not a chance." He said. "No place can be happy if you're not there. I don't care how great everyone says it is."

Melinda laughed, which caused Jim to laugh as well. When they both stopped laughing, Jim brought Melinda's lips to his. The kiss was intense, electric, and filled with the love and loss that both had accumulated over the past four months. They had to make up for lost time. So that's what they did. Neither one of them got any more sleep that night.


	3. Chapter 3

Jim decided to celebrate his recovered memory by making an elaborate breakfast for the two of them. As he buzzed about the kitchen, working on his culinary masterpiece, Melinda called Delia from the living room.

"Hello?" Delia answered.

"He remembers!" Mel practically shouted into the phone.

"What?" Delia asked. "Slow down here… What happened?"

"Last night I couldn't sleep. I was depressed and just couldn't stop thinking about everything I'd lost when Jim died, and how it doesn't even matter that his soul is in Sam, because it will never be the same if he doesn't remember." Melinda babbled quickly. "And I was sitting in the kitchen looking at my memory book when Sam came in. He'd had a nightmare about the lodge and getting shot, and when he started talking about it, it seemed like it was all coming back to him. Then he passed out for a few minutes. Scared the hell out of me. But when he woke up, he remembered everything!"

Delia was speechless for a moment. "….So…. Jim's back?" She asked.

"He's back!" Melinda said excitedly.

Melinda and Delia chatted for a few more minutes, and Delia insisted that Melinda take the day off work to spend time with Jim. By the time Melinda hung up the phone, she realized that exhaustion was finally catching up with her. By the sound of things in the kitchen, Jim wouldn't be done cooking for a few minutes, at least. She decided to lay down and rest her eyes for a moment…

* * *

Jim was putting the finishing touches on the meal, when he called for Melinda to let her know that breakfast was ready. When he received no reply, he made his way into the living room to see what she was up to. He found her lying on the couch, sleeping soundly. She was curled up in a fetal position, her head resting on one arm, her hair fanned across the armrest. He sat down beside her, and brushed a few loose strands of hair away from her forehead. He then bent down and kissed her temple, smiling at how peaceful she looked. For a moment he simply watched her sleep, not wanting to disturb her. Then he decided that she would be mad if he didn't wake her for breakfast, so he gently shook her and called her name.

"Mel. Honey, wake up."

She stirred a bit, and whimpered, but didn't open her eyes.

"Mel. Time for breakfast." He tried again.

This time Melinda gasped and shot up, straight into Jim's arms. She was shaking and breathing heavily.

"Hey. Are you okay?" Jim asked.

Mel took a deep breath and relaxed. "Yeah. Sorry." She breathed. The look on her face, though, was one of fear.

Jim studied her. "What is it?" he asked.

Melinda forced a smile, and lightheartedly said. "Nothing. It's nothing. You just startled me."

Jim gave her a who-do-you-think-you're-fooling look.

"Jim. Really, It's okay. It was just a dream. I don't even remember it now." She lied. But Jim took the cue to not press her about it.

"Okaaay…" He said, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Well I have a fabulous assortment of food waiting for you in the kitchen."

"Oooh, yay!" Melinda squealed, and jumped up, taking Jim's hand and pulling him behind her into the kitchen.

* * *

After breakfast, Melinda and Jim decided to go for a walk. It was a beautiful spring day, and the weather was finally warm enough for them to be outside without coats. They walked hand-in-hand, and enjoyed the scenery, and even more than that, each other's company.

"So you really remember everything now? It's all come back?" Melinda asked.

"Yeah." Jim said. "Everything before… My death…." He chuckled, still not used to hearing himself say that. "And everything after." He looked over at her.

She looked into his eyes. "So you also remember not remembering?"

Jim sighed, and looked down at the ground. "Yeah. You know, it's weird. It's like it was all somewhere in the back of my mind… I just couldn't get to it. I can't really describe it."

Melinda nodded. They walked in silence for a minute. Jim kept glancing at Mel, who was staring at the ground as she walked. Something was bothering her, he could tell. And after thinking about it, he had an idea of what it was.

"You tried to tell me." He stated.

She looked at him, confused. "What?"

"You tried to tell me who I was, what happened… And I didn't want to believe you." He said softly.

Melinda remembered that day.

"_Look, there's something I have to tell you. And it's not gonna be easy for me, or for you, I'm sure… Do you have an open mind?" She asked Sam._

"_More like an empty one, but…" He joked._

"_Do you believe in the afterlife?"_

"_Heaven or ghosts?" Sam questioned._

"_Both…" Melinda said. "What about stuff like reincarnation?"_

"_Like, respect cows because they might be your ancestors?" He said, straight-faced._

_Melinda laughed a bit. "Sort of…" She whispered. And then took a deep breath. "My husband just died." She continued. "And you just had a brush with death also…"_

_Sam laughed. "Wait. You're not gonna tell me you think I'm your husband reincarnated? Because you're the only sane person I've met since I woke up."_

_Melinda blinked, trying to drive away the tears that were threatening to show. "No." She said softly, and then let out a less-than-convincing chuckle. "No, of course not. I just, um… I just thought that maybe you'd be able to understand what he went through. Since you just kinda died yourself, and, um… I just need to know that he's okay, wherever he is."_

_Sam looked at her regretfully, seeing the hurt that was written across her face. "Oh." He said softly. "Sorry."_

Jim stopped walking, pulling Melinda out of her thoughts. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes, silently willing her to talk to him.

"You were confused." She said quietly.

"I hurt you." He whispered.

"It's not your fault." She reassured him. "You didn't know."

Jim pulled her in for a hug, and they stayed like that for a moment before they broke away and began to walk again, Jim's arm around Mel's shoulder.

"So how do you feel about all of this?" Melinda asked.

"It's like you said last night" Jim said. "I'm here. That's all that matters." Then, looking down at himself, he joked, "I kinda miss my old body, though."

Melinda laughed, and slapped him playfully.

* * *

That night, Melinda went to bed blissfully peaceful for the first time in months, with Jim sleeping right beside her. The peace didn't last long, though, as her sleep was soon plagued by a disturbing dream.

_She was in the woods, in complete darkness. The only thing making it possible to see at all was the faint light being given off by the stars above. She shivered as a frigid wind bit at her face and tousled her hair. It appeared that she was alone, until she heard a familiar voice ring out from behind her._

"_Melinda." The female voice said._

_Melinda spun around quickly, fearful of the voice, even though she knew that it meant no harm. She stared anxiously at the nameless guardian spirit that not so long ago had warned her about a price she might have to pay for what she does. _

"_What do you want? Why am I here?" Melinda asked desperately._

"_We've been watching you, Melinda." The spirit stated calmly. "We saw what happened to Jim…. What he went through to come back to you… And we know that he now remembers it all."_

"_What's your point?" Melinda questioned, knowing that there was something more coming._

"_You should know that it's not over yet. Big things are coming. Dark things. Things that may change your world forever."_

_Melinda let out a nervous and bitter laugh. "Haven't I gone through enough? Why is this happening to me?"_

"_I already told you." The spirit reminded her._

_Melinda sighed and shook her head. "So what do I do? How do I make it stop?"_

"_You must choose wisely, and pay close attention to what surrounds you. There's already a lot you have missed."_

"_Missed? What have I missed?" Melinda asked. But the spirit was already gone, vanishing into the night._

_Then Melinda heard something else… Laughter. But it sounded evil and menacing. She began to walk forward, and suddenly she was standing at the lake, outside the lodge. _

"_No…" Melinda cried. "Not this. Not again…"_

_She watched as a bullet crashed through the glass door. She heard her own screams echoing in her ears. She saw Carl draw his weapon, and she tried to warn him, to stop him, but she couldn't speak. It was only then that she noticed the figure standing directly behind Carl._

_Romano._

"NOOOOO!" She screamed, so loudly that her throat and lungs burned. But she was awake. It was only a dream. She was safe, wrapped in Jim's arms as he whispered words of comfort in her ear.

"Mel, honey, it's okay. It was just a dream. It's alright." He said quickly but softly.

Yet Melinda couldn't shake the image of Romano from her mind. The spirit's words were still ringing in her ears. She couldn't catch her breath, and she had to grab onto Jim's shoulders tightly to keep her hands from shaking.

"Mel… Breathe." Jim said firmly. "Take a deep breath. You're okay. I'm here."

After a few minutes, Melinda finally calmed down, although her mind still wasn't at ease. She realized then that she hadn't spoken a word to Jim since she woke, and it was evident that Jim was becoming increasingly concerned. Her eyes met his, and he squeezed her hand gently.

"Are you alright? What happened?" He asked.

Melinda looked down at her hands for a moment, as if she didn't know where to begin.

"Mel? Talk to me." Jim begged.

"I…" She began, and then stopped. She stared intently into Jim's eyes. She had only just gotten him back. And now she was getting these warnings again? A few tears spilled from her eyes and ran down her cheeks, plopping onto the comforter covering her lap. "I can't think about it right now." She said through her tears. "I'm just so tired…"

Jim held her close. "It's alright, babe." He whispered, desperately wanting to know what was bothering her so much, but knowing that it wasn't the time to push her. "I love you." He said, and placed a series of small kisses on her forehead and temple.

"I love you too." She replied, snuggling her face into the crook of his neck.

Minutes later, they were lying back in each other's arms, trying to forget their worries as they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: So, what do you think so far? REVIEW! Let me know if you love it/hate it/are indifferent. If I should keep writing, scrap it.... Whatever you thought, I'd love the feedback.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note: Here's another chapter. I hope it's not confusing. Thanks for the reviews so far, and I hope you keep them coming. The more reviews I get, the more quickly I'll be inclined to update!!! And as a side-note: I know not many people are happy with the whole Jim-in-Sam's-body thing in the show… Which is part of the reason I'm writing this fic. I've developed my own resolution to that. So… more incentive to keep reading. If you're one of many that wants Jim back in his former (and absolutely gorgeous…lol) body, then you're going to like this story. Enjoy! And Review!**

* * *

The sound of her alarm clock ripped Melinda out of a restful sleep. She groaned and rolled over, hitting the snooze button without bothering to open her eyes. Then she felt a pair of strong arms wrapping around her, and a soft kiss was placed on her cheek.

"Good morning, beautiful." Jim's voice rang out.

Another groan. Mel wasn't quite up to speaking yet, not this early, not when she was so rudely awakened by such annoying beeping.

Jim laughed. "Not a good morning?" He asked.

"Still tired…" Melinda mumbled. "Don't wanna get up."

"Then don't." Jim suggested logically. "Go back to sleep."

Melinda rubbed her eye, and then buried half her face in her pillow, causing her hair to tumble over the other half. Jim gently brushed it back into place.

"I wish I could." Mel said. "But I have to work."

"Ah, but you can call in sick." He smoothly stated. "Play hooky and just spend a glorious day in bed with me."

This solicited a genuine laugh from Melinda, and she sat up faced Jim, who had a most charming grin on his face.

"As tempting as that is, I don't think Delia would fall for it." She told him. "And why are you so _cheery _this morning?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm waking up next to my favorite person in the world for the first time in four months. I'd say that calls for some cheer." He replied.

Melinda smiled and leaned in to kiss him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back. Then, after a moment, he deepened the kiss and pulled her down onto the bed with him.

"Jiiim!" She protested, her lips still brushing his. "I have to get up."

He continued to kiss her between words as he spoke. "You don't have to be at the store for almost two hours. We've got time."

The man had a point. And besides, how could she resist him? She had all the time in the world for the man that she loved.

* * *

Hours later, at the store, Melinda glanced at her watch as she was checking the inventory on some items she just got in. She had plans to meet Jim for lunch at 1:00pm; it was already 12:30. _How did this morning go by so fast? _She thought. _Oh well, best not to question it… _

"Mel?" She heard Delia shout from the basement. "Could you come down here for minute?"

"Coming!" Melinda yelled in return, and got up to see what her friend and coworker wanted.

Melinda descended the stairs to the basement, and found that the lights were off, aside from a flashlight Delia was holding.

"The damn lights went out again." Delia stated. Her voice was dripping with annoyance, but also something else…. Fear? "So I grabbed the flashlight and tried to get to the power box to reset them, and I saw… this…"

She shone the beam from the flashlight onto the brick wall. On it, written in red paint, were the words: "IT'S NOT OVER, MELINDA. YOU WILL BE MINE. YOU ARE THE ONE."

"What does it mean?" Delia asked anxiously.

Melinda simply stood staring, in shock and horror, at the words written in front of her. She'd seen that writing, that red paint, before… It was years ago, but it played in her mind as if it was yesterday.

_She walked into Andrea's apartment with Mitch… Afraid of what she would find. She turned on the light, and was terrified at what she saw. Written on all the walls were words in red paint: HATE HER! GET OUT! LIAR. DEAD. MELINDA. ROMANO._

"Melinda, are you alright?" Delia asked, moving closer and putting her hand on Mel's shoulder.

Melinda drew in a ragged breath, and looked away from the words. "It's Romano." She whispered.

"Who?" Delia asked.

Melinda looked at her, and shook her head. "It's a long story… But I think this means that something's coming. And it's not gonna be good."

* * *

Jim walked into the store at precisely 1:00, and happily greeted Delia on his way in.

"Hey! How's it going?" He asked, stepping up to the counter where Delia was sitting.

"It's going alright." She replied. "Look at you! I don't think I've seen you this happy in…. well…. Ever! Melinda told me you finally remember things?"

"Yeah, I do. It's about time, right?" He laughed. "Hey, where's Mel?"

Delia's smile faded, and she looked towards the basement door. "She's downstairs." She told Jim quietly, and then leaned in close to speak to him. "Look, something's going on, and she's refusing to talk about it, but I'm getting the vibe from her that we should be worried."

"Yeah. You're getting that too?" He asked seriously.

"Please get her to talk to you." Delia said. "I'm afraid if she doesn't tell someone what's going on soon, we're gonna be finding out for ourselves too late."

Jim nodded, and headed downstairs.

He found Melinda with a bucket and a sponge, harshly scrubbing the wall at the back of the basement. He came up next to her, and looked closely to see what she was working at. Although faded, the words were still there, clear as ever. He got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Mel…" He said cautiously. "What's going on?"

Melinda stopped scrubbing, dropped her hands to her sides, and looked at Jim with tears in her eyes.

"It won't go away." She cried.

Jim intuitively knew that she was talking about more than just the paint. He took the sponge from her and dropped it back in the bucket, before pulling her into his arms and holding her closely.

"We're gonna have to talk about this." He whispered.

* * *

Jim and Melinda sat on the bench in town square. Jim reached into the bag he had brought from the deli and pulled out a sandwich. He opened the wrapper and took a bite, looking at Melinda out of the corner of his eye. She sat with her hands in her lap, looking down at the ground, obviously lost in thought.

"I brought you a turkey sub." Jim said.

Melinda sighed. "Thanks, but I think I'll save it for later. I'm not hungry."

Jim put his sandwich down, and turned so he was facing her. "You ready to talk yet?"

Melinda turned toward him and grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to keep anything from you…. I'm really not, it's just…" She trailed off.

"What?" Jim asked.

"We've been through so much." Mel said. "The last few months have been the worst time of my life, and now your memory is back and everything should be good… But I'm getting these warnings, and these signs, and I'm just so scared that something's going to happen. And I can't lose you again."

Jim wiped a few tears from Mel's eyes and kissed her, resting his forehead against hers for a moment. Then he pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"Tell me about the warnings." He said.

Melinda retold her dream to Jim; the part about the guardian spirit, the part about the lodge and Romano. Jim waited patiently for her to finish, and then he thought about it for a moment before he asked:

"So, do you think Romano was really there when I was shot?"

Melinda lightly shrugged. "I don't know. I was so scared by what was happening that I really wasn't paying attention. And then after you were shot… I didn't see any ghosts for days… " She said quietly. "The spirit said that I need to pay close attention to what surrounds me, and that there's already a lot I've missed. Maybe he was there the whole time and I just didn't see him."

Jim and Melinda were quiet for a minute, both trying to process what it could all mean. Then, Jim broke the silence.

"Mel, whatever happens… Whatever's coming. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Nothing's going to happen to me, and I sure as hell won't let anything happen to you."

"How can you say that?" Mel asked. "After what's already happened… What makes you think that we could stop it?"

"Look at where we are, Mel. I _died_, and still, here I am. What does that tell you?" Jim said.

Melinda was silent. Jim moved in closer to her, and put his hands on her arms.

"Honey, our love is stronger than anything out there. Our souls are connected, and no matter what life throws at us… We'll be okay. Because we'll always be together. We'll always have each other. In life or in death. There's nothing anyone can do to change that."

Mel threw her arms around Jim, and he hugged her back. She rested her chin on his shoulder and quietly whispered: "I hope you're right."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: New chapter! I was really tired and out of it when I was writing this, so hopefully it's okay… Keep reviewing! Your feedback is keeping me motivated to continue writing!**

* * *

It was late evening, and Jim and Melinda had just finished eating dinner. Jim was doing dishes, and Melinda decided to go and take a bath. She went upstairs and into the bedroom to get some clothes that she could put on after she got out of the tub. She was rummaging through her dresser, when she felt a prescence in the room. Turning around slowly, she found herself staring at someone she hoped she'd never see again.

"Romano." She said angrily.

"Hello, Melinda." Romano replied. His voice made the hairs on the back of Melinda's neck stand up. She shivered, and took a step back.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"Don't you know? I want you." Romano said, and he laughed evilly.

Just then, the bedroom door slammed shut. Melinda jumped. Her heart was pounding, but she refused to let Romano see her fear.

"Leave me alone!" Melinda shouted.

"I'm sorry, Melinda, but I can't do that." Romano said calmly. "You see, I've been trying to get you all along. Gabriel, Tom Gordon… They were both working for me. But they both failed. So I tried a different approach… I was there when that detective shot your husband. That was my doing. I thought that with Jim dead, it would be easy to get you on my side. But you two had to break the rules…. So now I must take matters into my own hands."

* * *

Jim was finishing up the dishes when he heard a loud noise coming from upstairs. The door slamming. He turned off the water, and listened. He could faintly hear Melinda shouting, and then nothing. Alarms went off in his head, and he ran to the stairs.

"Melinda?!" Jim yelled.

* * *

Melinda stared at Romano, growing more fearful each second. Suddenly, the room started shaking. A mirror fell off the wall and shattered. Melinda screamed. Romano only laughed.

* * *

Jim flew up the stairs two at a time, and ran straight to the bedroom door. He tried to turn the knob, but it was locked. He pounded on the door with his fist.

"Melinda? Open the door!" He shouted.

Then, he heard something inside the room crash and break. He heard Melinda scream, and his panic escalated.

"MEL!!!" He yelled. "Melinda, speak to me! What's happening?! Mel!"

By now, Jim was throwing all his weight against the door, trying to get it open. But as hard as he tried, it wouldn't budge.

* * *

Melinda cowered in the corner as the windows broke, exploding into shards of glass that flew every which way. A strong wind blew through the room, blowing the covers right off the bed, and sending loose clothing flying.

"STOP IT!" Melinda screamed.

Romano appeared directly in front of her, so they were face to face. "This is only the beginning." He growled. "You will be mine."

He disappeared just as a lamp came shooting across the room, heading directly towards Melinda. She shrieked and covered her head with her arms. She tried to duck, but wasn't quick enough. The lamp hit her like a ton of bricks and broke into pieces, as Melinda fell to the floor.

* * *

Jim heard everything that was happening in the bedroom as he continued desperately trying to break down the door. He took a few steps back, mustered all the energy he could, and kicked it as hard as humanely possible. Finally, it splintered and flew open, bouncing off the wall it hit on the inside.

Jim rushed into the room, and saw Melinda lying on the floor. She was curled tightly in a ball, her arms covering her head protectively, shaking so badly that she was nearly convulsing. There was a deep gash on her right arm, and it was bleeding profusely. Jim threw himself down beside her, and carefully scooped her up, pulling her into his lap. He moved her arms so he could get a look at her face.

"Mel…" He said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Melinda looked up at him with glassy, unfocused eyes. She was in shock. And losing quite a bit of blood from the wound on her arm. Jim happened to spot one of his shirts in his peripheral vision. He quickly grabbed it, and used it to apply pressure to the cut. This caused Melinda to gasp and wince in pain.

"I'm sorry, babe. I'm sorry… I need to stop the bleeding." Jim said.

"Jim." Melinda said fearfully. "Romano… He trying to get me on his side. He's been watching me all this time. Everything bad that's happened is because of him. He… he…." She stopped, and gasped as she began to realize how much pain she was in. She felt weak, and was starting to feel really lightheaded.

"Mel, slow down…" Jim said. "Slow down. It's gonna be okay. But right now I think we need to get you to the hospital."

"No." She whispered. "No hospital. I'm fine."

Jim looked at her worriedly. She was getting paler by the second. He knew that she wasn't 'fine'… And so did she, no matter how tough she was trying to be.

"Yeah, I'm not buying it." Jim said. "Come on, we gotta go."

Jim draped Melinda's unhurt arm around his neck, and he kept his arm supportively around her waist as he helped her to her feet. She swayed a bit, and Jim tightened his hold on her.

"Are you okay?" Jim asked.

"Yeah, I…" Melinda said dazedly, trailing off before finishing her sentence.

"Mel? Honey?"

The next thing Jim knew, Mel was falling into his arms.

"Melinda!" He cried out, catching her in a firm hug; then he quickly lifted her, cradled her close to his body, and studied her anxiously. Her eyelids were fluttering. She weakly moved her head to rest against his shoulder. He could feel her slow and shallow breaths against his arm.

"Jim." She whispered.

"Hang on, honey." Jim said frantically. "You're gonna be okay."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Jim was rushing through the doors of Mercy Hospital with Melinda unconscious in his arms.

"I need some help… NOW!" Jim shouted.

A doctor who was standing by the reception counter hurried over.

"What happened?" The doctor asked, gesturing for one of the nurses to bring a bed over.

"A tree branch broke through the bedroom window, and she was standing underneath the glass when it caved in." Jim lied, as he was lacking a more probable, earthly explanation.

A nurse pushed a bed over to them, and Jim gently set Melinda down.

"Alright." The doctor said quickly. "What's her name?"

"Melinda." Jim replied. "Melinda Gordon."

"Are you her husband?" The doctor asked, looking at Jim.

Jim was about to answer yes as a reflex, but then he remembered… As far as the rest of the world was concerned, Jim Clancy was dead. He was Sam Lucas now. He and Melinda were no longer married in a legal sense.

"I'm…" Jim stumbled for words. "Her boyfriend. We kind of live together."

The doctor nodded, and turned his attention back to Melinda. He lifted her eyelids, checked her pupils, and then took a quick look at her injured arm, before turning back to Jim.

"We're gonna take her to get stiched up. Just hang tight here for a while. Someone will come and let you know when you can see her."

Jim nodded, and watched as they wheeled Melinda away from him. It was gonna be a long night.

* * *

**A/N: Poor Melinda... I'm so mean.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Well it's been a week or so since I've updated. Sorry about that, things have been kinda crazy in my life. But here's the new chapter! I hope you like it. Please leave me reviews!!!**

* * *

Melinda felt strange… She could barely move. It felt as if her limbs were weighed down… even her eyelids felt too heavy to open. After a few moments of struggling, she finally broke through the grogginess enough to open her eyes. It was bright… She squinted against the sheer whiteness of her surroundings. She could feel someone standing beside her bed. Assuming it was Jim, she smiled and slowly turned her head. Standing there, though, was Romano.

Melinda shot up in bed, hugging her knees against her chest as if making herself smaller would protect her against him.

"Go away!" She begged.

"We can keep doing this the hard way, Melinda…. Or you can choose to join me now." Romano said.

"I'll never join you." Melinda said angrily.

Romano laughed. "As you wish…."

* * *

Jim was slouched in one of the hospital's waiting room chairs when the doctor approached him. Jim slowly stood up, trying to read the doctor's expression, but having no luck.

"I'm sorry, I realized I never got your name." The doctor said to Jim. "Mr…..?"

"Lucas." Jim replied. "Sam Lucas. How is Melinda?"

"Mr. Lucas." The doctor said. "When I examined Melinda more closely, I found that she had a few small pieces of glass embedded under the skin on her arm. They'd hit an artery, which is what caused her bleeding to be so severe. We removed the glass surgically, and closed up the wound, so now Melinda just has to rest and recover."

Jim took a moment to let the doctor's words sink in. "She's gonna be okay, right?" He finally asked.

"Yes." The doctor responded. "She'll be fine. You can see her now, if you like. She's in room 314. Although with the painkillers we've given her, there's a good chance she'll be out for the night."

Jim nodded, as he was already walking away, heading to see Mel. "Thanks, doc!" He called over his shoulder.

A minute later he was walking through the door to room 314, expecting to see Melinda lying in bed, fast asleep. Instead, she was sitting up in bed, backed as far against the side rail as she could get, curled up and crying.

"Mel?!" Jim said, rushing to her bedside. He quickly sat down beside her on the bed, and took her face in his hands to get her to look at him. "Mel, what's wrong? What happened?"

"Romano…" Melinda cried, and sniffled loudly. "He said…. He told me…."

"Romano?" Jim interrupted, his voice full of concern and fear. "Is he here? Now?"

"No." Mel said. "He just disappeared. But I'm scared, Jim… He keeps saying that he's going to get me to join him. And he's so powerful…. I don't think there's anything I can do to stop him."

Jim hugged Melinda tightly. "You're not giving up." He said softly but firmly.

"I can't fight him." Mel whispered. "I'm not strong enough."

"Then I will." Jim said.

Mel pulled back and looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face. "How?" She asked.

"By never leaving your side. I'm gonna stick to you like glue. There's not much he can do if I'm right there with you." Jim said. Then, he added, his voice tinged with doubt. "Right?"

Melinda only looked down. She just didn't know anymore…

Jim held Melinda in his arms, and there were a few moments of silence before he spoke again.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I don't know." Mel said quietly. "Kind of dizzy and weak… And really tired."

Jim sighed, and kissed the top of her head. "It's the painkillers." He murmured. "And you lost a lot of blood. You should try to sleep for a while."

Melinda nodded, and Jim helped her lay down before he sat down in a chair beside her bed. He smoothed her hair back from her face, and kissed her on the forehead as she closed her eyes and instantly dozed off.

* * *

Late the following evening, Melinda was released from the hospital. Both she and Jim were exhausted when they got home, so they immediately went up to bed. Melinda fell asleep right away, but Jim's mind was racing too much to allow him to rest. He couldn't stop thinking about Romano. Since the previous night, Mel had been especially quiet and withdrawn. She wouldn't talk about it, but he knew that it was because of what Romano had said to her.

He was scared; he knew that Romano was planning something, and based on what he had already done, Jim didn't even want to imagine what was going to happen next. He only wished there was some way he could stop it. He wanted to take Melinda away, far from Grandview and all the troubles that had been plaguing them for so long, but he knew deep down that it would make no difference. It would follow them wherever they went. But there had to be something he could do…. He thought about it until his mind couldn't even focus on the thoughts anymore, and he finally drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Jim awoke the next morning to the sound of raindrops tapping against the bedroom window. Before he even opened his eyes, he reached over to put him arm around Melinda, but he only made contact with the bed. His eyes shot open, and he saw that Mel wasn't there. Sitting up, he looked around the room, but she was nowhere in sight. He called her name, but heard no response. So he got up and began to search the house. She wasn't in the bathroom, nor was she in the living room. He was starting to get worried when he walked into the kitchen and saw her sitting at the table, her hands wrapped around a mug of tea.

"Mel!" He exclaimed, his voice a combination of anxiety and relief. He quickly walked over and wrapped his arms around her from behind, careful not to hurt her arm, and placed a series of kisses along her temple and cheek.

"Jim, what's wrong?" Melinda asked quietly.

"I woke up and you weren't in bed… I got worried." Jim admitted.

"Sorry." Mel said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jim crouched down in front of her so he could look her in the eyes, and noticed that she still looked exhausted. Her face was pale, and her eyes looked a little bit puffy with dark circles underneath them. "Are you okay?" He asked her.

"Yeah." Mel said, taking his hands in hers. "I just have a headache… Couldn't really sleep any more."

Jim put the back of his hand to her forehead and then against her cheek, leaving it there to rest. "You feel a little warm. Did you take anything?"

"Yeah, I took some ibuprofen when I woke up." She told him, and saw the concern in his eyes. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing."

Jim nodded, and lightly kissed her on the lips. "Alright. But if it gets any worse, you let me know." He said, giving her a serious look.

"I will." She said, and then looked towards the clock on the stove. "What time is it?"

"It's quarter to eight." Jim replied.

"I have to be at work in a little over an hour." Mel mumbled, and stood up slowly. "I'm gonna take a shower."

"No fair, how come you always get first dibs?" Jim protested, also rising to his feet.

A mischievous grin began to spread across Melinda's face. "Because, ladies first!" She said, playfully shoving him before she began to walk out of the room. "But…. If you really can't wait…. I suppose I can make room." She winked at him over her shoulder, and ran up the stairs.

Jim's lips curled in a half-smile as a look of understanding came over his face. "Oh, I definitely can't wait." He called and chased after her.

* * *

It was a slow day at the shop. It was already 1:00pm and they'd only had a handful of customers, so Melinda decided to sort through some boxes while Delia made a run to Villiage Java to grab them some coffee. Delia had suggested that Melinda close up shop for a few minutes and come with her (mainly because Jim had called her to tell her what had happened a couple of night before, and asked her to keep an eye on Mel) but Melinda stubbornly insisted that she would be fine on her own for a few minutes. She needed the quiet; she didn't want to say anything and worry her friend, but her headache had only gotten worse over the course of the day.

She was putting some antique vases on a shelf when Romano appeared behind her.

"You're time is running short, Melinda." He said malevolently.

Melinda turned around and glared at him. "You don't scare me, Romano."

Romano laughed. "You can't fool me. I can feel your fear. It's what makes me strong."

Melinda put a hand to her head. She was suddenly feeling really dizzy, like the room was spinning faster and faster. "Stop." She said weakly. "Just go away."

He only came closer to her. He stood right beside her and whispered in her ear, "I never go away. I'm always here. I always have been. You can't escape me."

And with that he disappeared, and Melinda slid to the floor, fighting to stay conscious.

* * *

A minute later, Delia entered the shop with the coffees for her and Melinda. She placed them on the counter; it was a moment before she saw Melinda, sitting on the floor in the corner of the room, her head in her hands. Delia rushed over and knelt down beside her.

"Melinda! Honey, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly, putting her hand on Melinda's shoulder. She was trembling, her hands over her face, slumped with her arms resting on her crossed legs. She didn't respond but Delia could hear her quick, panicked breathing and it was scaring the hell out of her.

"Melinda, talk to me, please! What's going on?"

Melinda didn't move, but her voice came through her hands, muffled and shaky. "Delia…"

"That's it, I'm calling Jim." Delia said.

"No!" Melinda cried out as her head quickly shot up. Then, another wave of dizziness hit her and her head dropped back down into her hands.

Delia grabbed Melinda's shoulders, afraid she was going to faint any minute.

"Please." Mel whimpered softly. "I can't…"

Delia wouldn't let her finish her thought. "Melinda, I have to. I promised him if anything happened I would call him immediately."

Melinda didn't respond, so Delia pulled her phone out of her pocket and hit the number to speed-dial Jim. In just five minutes he was running through the door.

Melinda still hadn't moved from her position on the floor. Delia had tried to get her to a couch to lay down, but she just wasn't getting through to her. She was completely out of it.

Jim ran to Melinda and dropped down to the floor in front of her. He put his hands on her shoulders and shot Delia a questioning glance.

"I ran to get coffee and she was like this when I got back. She's barely responding to anything I say. I don't know what's wrong." Delia quickly told him.

"Has she lost consciousness at all?" Jim asked.

"Not that I know of…" Delia replied.

Jim looked at Melinda closely. "Mel? Honey? Can you hear me?"

"Jim." Mel whispered, and tried to lift her head, but it was just spinning too much. He helped her sit up, and she leaned against the wall behind her weakly. Jim put his hands on either side of her face, and then pulled one back quickly and felt her forehead with it.

"God, you're burning up." He said softly.

Tears began to stream down Melinda's face, and she let out a quiet sob.

"Hey… Hey, don't cry." Jim said, wiping away her tears. "It's gonna be okay."

"No." Mel said, her voice broken.

"What?" Jim asked. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"It's Romano." Mel cried. "It's him…. He's doing this. It's not gonna stop."

Mel threw herself into Jim's arms, and he held her as she shook and cried. He looked at Delia, who was standing there watching fearfully, not understanding what was going on.

Delia saw the fear in Jim's eyes, which made her even more afraid for her friend. The same thought was going through all three of their minds': how can you stop a murderous ghost who won't go away?


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Please read and REVIEW! I've been getting such great feedback. It's what inspired me to write another chapter today!**

* * *

Jim took Melinda home and made her lie down in bed with a few ice packs while he assessed her condition.

"You still feeling dizzy?" He asked, as he pulled his EMT kit out from under the bed. He may not be a paramedic anymore in this new life of his, but with his memory back, he still knew what he was doing, and he still had all of his old stuff.

Melinda nodded. "It's not as bad as before, but I still feel like my head is spinning." She said quietly.

Jim sighed, and started pulling stuff out of the bag. He took her blood pressure first, and shook his head slightly at the reading. Then he pulled out a thermometer and put it in Melinda's mouth. He gently stroked her cheek as he waited for it to read her temperature. When it finished, he looked at it, and his eyes instantly reflected his fear.

"104.6." He said, his voice shaking a bit. "Mel… This is serious. We need to get you back to the hospital."

"We can't." Melinda replied. "I told you… It's Romano that's doing this. Even if we did go to the hospital… There's nothing they can do for me there."

"How is he doing this?" Jim asked, his voice rising with panic. "And what can _I _do? Cause I'm not just gonna sit back and let him do this to you. I can't. I won't."

"Jim." Mel said, taking his hand in an effort to calm him down.

"No." Jim said, his voice breaking slightly. "I am not going to lose you."

Melinda reached out to him, and he laid down beside her, draping his arm around her protectively. She turned onto her side so she faced him, and ran her hand through his hair and kissed him on the forehead. Then she looked him deeply in the eyes.

"I think he can be stopped." Melinda said, her voice weak and weary. "But the key is that we can't be afraid."

Jim let out a short chuckle. "Right."

"Listen to me, Jim. He's feeding off of our fear. Especially mine. It's giving him strength. I think that's how he's doing this. We just have to stop giving him what he wants." Mel explained.

Jim looked at her tenderly for a moment. She never ceased to amaze him; all of her courage and strength even in the most terrible of situations. She once asked him where he'd learned to be so brave. He told her that he'd learned it from her, and he meant it. She gave him all the courage in the world. Except now he was struggling. He briefly closed his eyes and shook his head.

"You're lying in bed with a spiking fever of 104.6. How can I not be afraid?"

"Trust me." She whispered.

Jim put his hand to her cheek and rested his forehead against hers. It felt like fire against his skin, and he let out a long, shaky breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Trusting you is never the problem." He whispered back to her.

* * *

After a while Melinda fell asleep, but she immediately found herself in a vivid nightmare.

_Walking through the underground, she looked around, trying to find any sign that she wasn't alone down there. She wanted so badly to call out to someone, anyone… But she was afraid of who would come if she made a sound. So she kept walking. She'd been down here several times in the past, but it felt more ominous now than ever. And it was so cold… She just wanted to give up and go home, but she had to find what she was looking for. It was her only chance…_

_She was coming up to the church on Clay Street. She approached the door; beyond it, she could hear the whispers of the countless souls trapped inside. She was about to reach for the doorknob when she heard Jim's voice, yelling:_

"_Melinda!!! MELINDA, NOOO!!!"_

"Melinda!" Jim called out, waking Melinda from her dream.

Melinda opened her eyes and saw him sitting over her, his eyes full of concern, holding her face gently and feeling her forehead with the back of his hand. She was shivering violently, and covered in sweat, although she felt chilled to the bone. She tried to control her breathing, but it felt like there was a cinderblock on her chest. Her vision blurred, and she flailed her hand out, reaching for Jim's. He grabbed it and held on tightly.

"Mel, calm down. It was just a fever dream, I'm here." Jim said soothingly.

Mel tried to speak, but all she could manage was a whimper followed by a wheezing gasp.

"Shhh… Lie still." Jim whispered. "Are you hurting anywhere?"

"I.. I'm… c-cold." Mel stuttered.

Jim smoothed a few strands of sweat-soaked hair back from her face and shook his head. "I think your fever is getting worse." He said quietly, more to himself than to Mel. He reached for the thermometer on the bedside table and put it in her mouth. When he saw what it said, he winced and punched the pillow beside him.

"Dammit!" He growled, double-checking the reading of 105.8. But he hadn't misread it, it was right.

"Jim. The underground… I have to go. There are people… They're down there. Trapped, I think. Romano… He's keeping them there. If I can get to them… It might be my only chance. They need to cross over. And… And…" Melinda babbled, almost incoherently.

"Mel!" Jim stopped her. "Honey, you're delirious. And you're out of your mind if you think I'm letting you go anywhere like this, unless it's the hospital."

"But Jim!" Mel whined.

"No!" Jim said sharply. "This is insane. And if your fever goes up even a fraction of a point more, I'm calling an ambulance. Ghostly-happenings or not, there's got to be some way to help you medically."

Melinda looked up at him, in shock and slightly hurt at the tone of voice he was using with her. As soon as he saw her face, though, his expression melted into one of sorrow and regret.

"I'm sorry, babe…" He said softly. "I'm sorry. God, I just… I'm scared, Mel. I'm really scared."

"I'm scared too." Mel replied, her voice small and vulnerable. "But it's like I said, we can't be scared. That's what's making this all happen. It's what's making it worse. And now I'm thinking it's a lot more than that too…"

"What do you mean?" Jim asked, taking Mel's hand and kissing it.

"I dreamed about all the souls that are trapped in the underground. They needed my help. They needed me to free them. And it got me thinking… That's where Romano is getting all his strength from. He's getting his power from the fear and hopelessness of all these souls that he's trapped or harmed in some way. And now he's trying to get to me..."

Jim finished her sentence: "Because your soul would give him the most power of all."

Melinda nodded. Both she and Jim were silent for a moment, trying to weigh their options, when Mel spoke up.

"I have to go, Jim. I have to cross them over. It could be the only way."

Jim's eyes radiated with pain and empathy. "But Mel… You're sick. I doubt you could even stand up right now, how are you going to go into the underground and help these… souls…. When you can't even help yourself?" He asked.

"If I can save them, that might be the key to saving myself too." Mel replied.

Jim looked down, deep in thought.

After a minute or so, Mel squeezed his hand. "Jim." She prodded.

Jim looked into her eyes and understood that she was right. He sighed deeply. "I hate this." He said.

"I know." Mel whispered.

"I'm going with you." He stated.

"I don't think I could do it without you." Mel smiled slightly, and Jim leaned down and kissed her. Then they prepared themselves for what could be the most dangerous journey they'd ever take.

* * *

**A/N: okay, so this chapter was a little bit shorter... but this is where i had to leave off. the next chapter is going to start getting pretty intense, so.... let's just say you have been warned.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: New chapter! You know, the usual… Read and review! **

* * *

Melinda walked through the door of Same as It Never Was Antiques, leaning heavily against Jim for support. He kept his arm firmly around her as they walked to the basement - the only remaining entrance into the underground. They paused for a moment in front of the boarded-up opening.

"You sure you wanna go through with this?" Jim asked, knowing the answer before he even posed the question.

"It's not about what I want to do." Mel said softly. "I don't have a choice."

Jim looked at her anxiously, and then looked back at the wall and slowly nooded. "Alright." He whispered, reaching for the hammer he'd brought with in his pocket.

He hesitantly loosened his hold on Melinda, and she wavered on her feet, causing him to reflexively tighten his grasp once again.

"Maybe you should sit down." He said.

Melinda shook her head, and put her hand against the wall for some extra stability. "I'm alright." She assured him.

Jim slowly let her go, and once he was sure that she wouldn't collapse, he began to pry the boards away from the tunnel opening. A few minutes later, they were venturing into the darkness.

* * *

The couple walked with their arms around each other, each carrying a flashlight in their free hands. Jim had a black duffel bag slung over his shoulder, complete with anything they might need - just in case. Both looked around nervously, unsure of who… or what… may be lurking in the shadows.

"It's freezing down here." Jim whispered as he felt Mel shivering. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" Mel replied distractedly. "We need to find the church. That's where Romano is keeping them."

They continued to make their way through the tunnels, swatting away cobwebs and string-like tree roots that would otherwise be hitting them in the face. It felt like they had been wandering for hours, but in reality it had only been about five minutes when Jim tripped over an unseen obstacle and lost his footing. He lurched forward, unintentionally taking Melinda down with him, and landed roughly on his hands an knees. He cried out as a sharp, throbbing pain ran through his right ankle. He tried to ignore it, though, when he looked over and saw Melinda lying face-down on the ground.

"Mel!" He called, trying to hide the pain in his voice, but falling short of success.

He dragged himself across the two-foot distance between them, and pulled her into his arms. "Mel, are you alright?"

Melinda drew in a deep breath and blinked a few times, trying to clear her head. "Yeah." She said, sounding dazed. Then she saw the expression on Jim's face, and she immediately became alert. "Are you?"

Jim winced, and tried to suppress a groan. "Yeah. I think so."

Mel scooted backwards, giving him some space, and he grabbed his ankle in pain.

"You're hurt." Mel said worriedly.

"It's nothing." Jim lied. "I just twisted it, that's all."

"Let me see." She demanded, tenderly pulling up his pant leg so she could get a look at his injury. She let out a small gasp as she pointed the beam of the flashlight towards his ankle. It was already badly swollen and taking on a purplish-blue tint.

"Jim!" She cried out.

"Honey, it's okay." Jim said.

"No it's not." Mel replied. "I think it might be broken… Or sprained. I don't think you should walk on it."

"I have to. We have to keep moving." Jim said.

Melinda looked at him for a beat, and saw the determination in his eyes. They both knew they couldn't turn back. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed.

"What do you have in your bag?" She asked him.

"Some basic first-aid equipment: gauze, band-aids, disinfectant…. The usual." He said.

"Do you have anything to brace it with?" Mel suggested.

"Yeah… I do." Jim replied, unzipping the duffel and rummaging through. He stopped and looked up at Mel for a minute. "Since when did you get better at my job than me?"

"I have a good teacher." She said, smiling half-heartedly. Then she slowly pushed herself to her feet and took a deep breath, trying to ensure that she could stand on her own before saying: "Brace it and wrap it up, and I'm gonna go see how much further we have to go."

"No!" Jim exclaimed, looking at her sharply. "You're not going off on your own."

"Jim, it's fine. I won't go far. Just catch up with me when you're done."

"Mel!" Jim shouted, but she was already hurrying off, leaving him behind.

"MELINDA!" He tried again, but she was already around the corner and gone.

"Dammit!" Jim shouted. He tried to get up, only to fall back down, cursing under his breath at the excruciating pain in his leg. He quickly applied the brace to his ankle and tightly wrapped it so it would support his weight. Then, he shakily stood up and took off, limping, in the direction Melinda had gone.

* * *

Melinda was walking towards the church, as quickly as she could manage in her condition. She felt terrible for leaving Jim behind, but she felt that it was necessary. She had an overwhelming sense of dread; like something awful was going to happen, and with Jim already being hurt, she didn't want to risk putting him in danger.

She was coming up to the area where the church was located. She paused for a moment, taking in her surroundings. The air felt colder all of a sudden. She shuddered, and looked around nervously. She felt a sinister presence. She knew that Romano was near, and she had to remind herself to be brave. She'd come here to go up against him, and she couldn't let her fear get in the way. Still, a part of her wanted to run back to Jim and forget about everything. To just go home and pretend that none of it had ever happened. That wasn't possible, though. So she continued on.

She was a few yards away from the church, and as she came closer, she could hear the sound of whispering. It was exactly like her dream. She could hear the souls crying out to her, begging to be freed. She looked around once more, half expecting Romano to appear at any moment, but he was nowhere in sight. So she took a deep breath and approached the door. Reaching for the door knob, she was about to open it when she heard his voice in her head.

"I knew you would come… You're mine."

* * *

Jim stumbled through the tunnels, his uneasiness growing with every step. He couldn't see or hear Melinda anywhere. How could she have gotten that far ahead of him? Minutes ago, she could barely stand upright, and now she was nowhere to be seen.

He increased his speed, pushing through the pain of his injured ankle, desperate to find her and know if she was alright. He could see their destination in the distance. It wasn't much further… But it seemed like it was taking forever to get there. Then he saw her. She was standing right in front of the church, about to go in. He breathed a sigh of relief, but relief made way for panic when he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

A large stone pillar beside the church was beginning to teeter, as if it was being pushed by unseen forces. Then, it began to fall. To Jim, time seemed to slow down. He knew that he was screaming, but couldn't hear his own voice: only a low roaring in his ears. All he could focus on was the falling pillar, headed straight for Melinda. He ran. He no longer felt the pain of his injured leg. All that mattered was getting to her in time.

* * *

Melinda froze. She could hear Romano's voice as if he was right beside her. She could feel his malevolent energy. Why wasn't she seeing him?

Her confusion was immediately forgotten when she heard Jim's voice.

"MELINDA! MELINDA!!! NO!!!!"

She didn't see the reason for his cries until it was too late. The pillar fell directly on top of her, crushing her to the ground. Everything exploded into a flash of white, then red, and then darkness.

* * *

Jim felt like someone had torn his heart right out of his chest. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think straight… His legs gave out, and he fell to his knees beside her, hot tears streaming down his face.

The pillar was lying sideways across her stomach and hips, pinning her to the ground. He knew the prognosis was bad. Very bad. It was solid stone, it had to weigh a ton, at least. He grabbed her hand; it was like ice; and he struggled to find his voice.

"Mel." He gasped, before drawing in a short ragged breath. "Oh God…"

She opened her eyes halfway and stared up at him blankly. "Jim..." She whispered hoarsely.

Jim let out a quiet shuddering sob, and shook his head. "Please." He whispered through tears. "Please… don't leave me."

Melinda used what little strength she had to pull him close. He leaned down until his face was only an inch away from hers. A couple of his tears dripped onto her cheek, and she weakly smiled.

"It will be okay." She breathed. "I'll. Never…. leave…." And with that, her eyes slipped closed and her hand went limp in his.

"No." Jim cried. "No! Mel, don't do this. Please. Come back to me."

He put his trembling fingers to her neck, praying that he would feel even the faintest beating of a pulse. But it was just as he feared… He put his head down on her shoulder and began to hysterically cry.

* * *

**A/N: I know, I know… Evil cliffhanger. But please don't panic… I'll update soon.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: At long last - the second to last chapter!!! I'm going to be doing a sequal soon, so stay tuned for that. Read and review!**

* * *

Melinda opened her eyes and found herself in an endless dark abyss. She could hear Jim, although he sounded muffled and very far away. She looked down. It was as if she was looking through a long narrow tunnel, but she saw him there. He was cradling her head and shoulders in his arms. His head was down, and he was shaking and crying desperately.

"_Mel… I'm sorry. I should've done more. I should've stopped you…." He sobbed and gasped for air. "I can't…. be….. Without you."_

Melinda had to look away. It was just too painful to watch. Her eyes were flooded with tears, and as they streamed down her face she looked ahead and saw it: the light. And someone was standing there. She couldn't make out who it was until they stepped forward, and then she was staring into the eyes of her guardian spirit.

"Hello, Melinda." She said sadly.

"I'm dead." Melinda replied through her tears.

The guardian spirit nodded.

"This… This can't happen." Melinda cried. "I need to go back. Jim needs me, and I can't… I can't leave him. Not now. Not like this."

"It's too late." The guardian said softly. "I'm sorry. We tried to warn you."

"No." Melinda said, her sadness quickly turning to anger. "No, it's not too late. There has to be a way."

The guardian simply looked at her, her face calm and sympathetic.

"You give me these warnings, and you don't do a damn thing to help me otherwise!" Melinda stated harshly. "This wasn't supposed to happen this way!"

"You're right." The guardian said, causing Melinda to stare at her in confusion.

"What?" Mel whispered.

"It wasn't supposed to happen this way." The guardian clarified. "The order of things has been disturbed. Fate, destiny - those are forces not to be tampered with. But that's was Romano did. Your husband's death, your death… Weren't meant to happen. You were destined for much more, and Romano knew that… Which is why he had to break you down and eliminate you."

"So…" Melinda said thoughtfully. "What does that mean? What do I do?"

"We can help you. But there will be consequences…" The guardian told her.

"What consequences?" Melinda asked.

"We can send you back to the beginning of the end. To the event that triggered it all."

Melinda looked at her questioningly.

"The shooting at the lodge." The guardian said. "Jim will live. But you will both have the knowledge of what has happened. You'll both remember his death, your death and everything in-between."

Melinda let out a short laugh. "If that's the only consequence…."

The guardian quickly interjected. "It's not. We're doing this because all of the spirit world depends on you, Melinda. With you being gone, so is the light. All souls will be trapped. Earthbound for all of eternity."

"Why?" Melinda asked.

"Because you are the one." The guardian said. "You're the balance between light and dark, life and death. That's what we've been trying to tell you all along. That's the reason that Romano wanted you on his side. You have just as much power as he does. And with that power, you can stop him and free all the souls he's worked so hard to trap. And in doing so, you would leave him powerless."

"I still don't understand." Melinda said.

"If we send you back, you need to find him and put an end to what he's done." The guardian explained. "And if you don't… You'll end up back here, and you'll be trapped like all the others."

A chill ran down Melinda's spine at the thought of being trapped here forever. "Okay." She said softly. "I'll do it. Just please let me go back."

The guardian smiled. Then, everything went black.

* * *

"Mel."

She heard the voice, but she was having trouble opening her eyes.

"Mel, can you hear me?"

_Jim. _She thought. Then she heard another voice.

"Clancy, I'm gonna get a backboard and some oxygen!"

"Thanks, Bobby." Jim called.

She felt his hand on her face, and she drew in a long breath.

"Honey? Wake up. Come on, Mel. Open your eyes."

Her eyes fluttered open, and she was looking up at Jim's worried face. _It's really him. _She thought. _He's alive. It worked._

"Jim!" She exclaimed, and quickly sat up and threw her arms around him tightly.

"Whoa! Easy, honey. Slow down…" Jim said, laughing slightly, as he lowered her back down into a laying position. He practically had to pry her off of him. He looked into her eyes, which were brimming with tears, and caressed her face gently.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Jim asked.

Mel studied his face. It was a mixture of confusion and concern. "Jim." She said. "Where are we?"

A look of sadness flickered in Jim's eyes. "Mel… We're at the lodge."

"And before that?" Mel asked. "Where were we before that?"

Jim closed his eyes for a moment and when he reopened them he gazed off, lost in thought. "I… I don't know. I'm really confused." He said, his voice distant. Then he looked at Melinda with uncertainty. "What is going on, Mel?" He whispered, so no one else would hear. "I was somewhere else… And then I was here, holding the gun I wrestled away from Hunter. And I heard Neely shouting your name, and I came out… And you were on the ground…" He laughed and shook his head. "I think I'm losing my mind."

"No." Mel said quietly. "You're not."

* * *

Melinda and Jim were sitting on the couch together, safe in the comfort of their own living room. After Jim's colleagues had looked over Melinda at the lodge and confirmed that she was okay, she and Jim drove home together. Now, Jim held Melinda in his arms, and she rested her head against his chest. They hadn't talked much in the car; both were too lost in their own thoughts; but Melinda had to know if Jim had any idea what had happened.

"Tell me what you remember." She said softly.

Jim kissed the top of her head and sighed, trying to figure out where to begin.

"I was at the lodge. I got the gun away from Hunter, and then I heard a noise come from outside. I was shot. I remember the ambulance and the hospital, and thinking that I was going to be okay… But then I died. Embolism." He said, pointing to his head. "And you told me I had to cross over, but I wouldn't… I wouldn't leave you. So I jumped into some dead guy's body." Jim chuckled, but his smile immediately faded. "But then I didn't remember who I was. I thought I was this Sam guy, and I was living in the garage, and you were the only person who I felt I could trust. And then I finally remembered everything. But then Romano started messing with you, making you sick, and I was so afraid of losing you."

He paused for a moment, and drew in a ragged breath. "And I did." He finished, his voice breaking. "You died… You died in my arms, and all I could wish was that it was me instead of you." He blinked back the tears that were forming behind his eyes, and took a deep breath.

Melinda put her hand on his arm, and stroked it tenderly. "And then the next thing I knew," Jim continued, "I was back at the lodge again." He looked deeply into Melinda's eyes. "Tell me I imagined that all."

Mel shook her head. "You weren't imagining it. That all really happened." She said.

"How?" Jim asked.

Melinda explained everything that the guardian spirit had told her. When she finished, Jim just stared at her for a moment before hugging her even more tightly and burying his face in her hair.

"God, I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." She whispered back. "So much."

Jim drew back and cupped her face in his hands. He kissed her passionately, and when he pulled away, a huge smile spread across his face.

"What's that for?" Mel asked him, also smiling.

"That." He replied. "Is for second chances."


	10. Chapter 10

**One Month Later:**

Melinda was working at the shop, putting the finishing touches on a new display of antique frames. Delia was behind the counter balancing the sale logs for the previous week.

"Hey, you wanna grab lunch today?" Delia asked.

Melinda looked up at her friend. "Oh, I'd love to, but I promised Jim I'd go to Lentos with him today. He had to work the night shift last night, so I haven't really seen him since yesterday." She explained. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Rain check." Delia told her, shrugging. "But I've gotta ask… What is up with you guys lately? The last few weeks you've been even more disgustingly cute than usual."

Melinda smiled. She and Jim had decided not to tell anyone about the chain of events that had taken place. It was just too hard to believe - even in Melinda's world.

"I don't know." Melinda said. "We just really love each other, that's all."

"I never would have guessed that." Delia replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

A moment later, Jim walked through the door.

"Speak of the devil." Delia said, walking to the back room.

"Devil what?" Jim asked, looking confused. Melinda laughed and walked over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He put his hands on her waist and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. Then Melinda pulled away and walked back to her project.

"How was your morning?" Mel asked Jim as she stood in front of the display and rearranged some items.

"Oh, it was good." He said, meandering towards her. "Got some much needed sleep, fixed the kitchen sink, which broke - again."

Melinda dropped a frame she was holding as she was suddenly hit by a random wave of dizziness. She tried to grab onto the table to steady herself, but her vision was fading to gray and she ended up grabbing at nothing but air. In a split second, Jim was by her side holding her up.

"Hey! Mel?" He called out worriedly. "Come on. Sit down." He lowered her into the nearest chair and crouched down in front of her, holding her arms so she wouldn't fall over.

"Keep breathing." He said, watching her closely. She took a few deep breaths and blinked slowly until her vision cleared and the dizziness subsided.

"Whoa." She whispered.

"Are you alright?" Jim asked.

"Yeah…" Mel replied slowly. "I think so. I just felt really dizzy all of a sudden."

"Maybe you need to eat." Jim suggested.

"Yeah. Maybe…" She said faintly.

Jim studied her for another minute as she stared at nothing in particular, her forehead creased as if she was deep in thought.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jim asked.

Melinda snapped out of her trance and looked at him. "What? Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine." She said, putting her hands on his shoulders and leaning forward to give him a quick peck on the lips. "Now let's go eat."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Melinda left work early after spending an hour in the bathroom losing her lunch. She stopped at the drug store on her way home to pick up a few things, and when she walked through the door of her house she found Jim waiting for her.

"Hey." Jim said, getting up from the couch. "Delia called me and said she sent you home. You okay?"

Mel smiled and walked over to him. "I'm fine. Just a little nauseous. I don't think it's anything to worry about."

"Alright…" Jim said submissively as he gathered her in a hug. He then noticed the bag in her hand. "What's that?"

Mel looked down at it. "Oh. Just… Something I thought I might need."

Jim took the bag from her and pulled out its contents. It was a home pregnancy test. He looked up at her in surprise, a huge grin taking over his face. "Wait…" He said. "You think?"

"It would make sense." Mel replied.

"Well?" Jim said, handing her the box. "What are you waiting for? Go!"

Melinda laughed and lightly slapped his arm. "Okay… Thank you for your patience!" She joked.

* * *

Two days later, Jim and Melinda were at a doctor's office. Melinda was laying on a bed in a hospital gown with Jim by her side, holding her hand. Both of them stared at a small screen by the bedside in silent awe.

"Well." The doctor said. "It looks like you're about four weeks along."

Jim couldn't stop smiling. Melinda had tears of joy glistening in her eyes.

"If you two just wanna hang out here for a second, I'll be back with your prenatal kit." The doctor told them before he headed out the door.

Melinda looked at Jim.

"We're gonna be parents." Jim said.

"I know." Mel replied blissfully.

Jim leaned in and kissed her. "I love you, Melinda. So much." He tenderly placed his hand on her stomach and kissed it gently. "And I love you, little person."

Melinda laughed and hugged him. They remained in each others arms until the doctor returned. Both of them were the happiest they'd ever been. They knew more than ever that all they needed in life was each other. And they were more ready than they'd ever been to continue their journey together.

**The End!**

* * *

**A/N: So, what do you all think of the ending? Good/Bad? Worth doing a sequal? Please Review!!!**


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